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Bioarchaeology of Individuals: Identity, Social Theory, and Skeletal Analysis

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Bioarchaeology

Part of the book series: Manuals in Archaeological Method, Theory and Technique ((MATT))

Abstract

There are many methods for the analysis of human remains that are regularly used by bioarchaeologists and forensic anthropologists. Standard analytical procedures involve the assignment of age at death and sex, the diagnosis of diseases, the reconstruction of height and body robusticity, and the determination of antemortem (premortem) and perimortem trauma. These basic analyses provide the identity of individuals. More importantly however is the use of these empirically based bone attributes to be used in the service of answering questions about human behavior. Social theory can be used to frame interesting questions that can be answered using bone data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anthropology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA

    Debra L. Martin & Ryan P. Harrod

  2. Department of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA

    Ventura R. Pérez

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  1. Debra L. Martin
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  2. Ryan P. Harrod
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  3. Ventura R. Pérez
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Martin, D.L., Harrod, R.P., Pérez, V.R. (2013). Bioarchaeology of Individuals: Identity, Social Theory, and Skeletal Analysis. In: Bioarchaeology. Manuals in Archaeological Method, Theory and Technique. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6378-8_6

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